With its high mountain ranges, remote plateaus, lakes and river beds splashed with colour, plus some of the best architecture anywhere, this region of Anatolia brings history to life. Sivas, Divriği, Erzurum, Battalgazi, Harput, and Ahlat, allcities in this region, were important centres of Seljuk art. In Eastern Anatolia are the cities of Ağrı, Bingöl, Bitlis, Elazığ, Erzincan, Erzurum, Hakkari, Kars, Malatya, Muş, Tunceli, Van, Ardahan and Iğdır, while in the southeast are the largercities of Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Mardin, Siirt, Şanlıurfa, Batman, Şırnak and Kilis. Travelling around the east is more challenging, with huge distances between towns, extremes of climate and fewer facilities, but this is amply compensated bythe remote beauty, relatively unspoilt scenery and of course hospitality of the people.